Jeremy McNichols was a three-star prospect coming out of Santa Margarita High School in California. He was listed as a wide receiver and despite offers from Utah and Colorado State, he chose to attend Boise State University. He was converted to a running back once he got to campus and showed big play ability both on offense and special teams in his freshman season as the backup to Jay Ajayi.

In his sophomore year, McNichols took over as the lead running back and broke out as both a runner and receiver. He ended that season with over 1,000 yards rushing and 26 total touchdowns. In his junior season, McNichols’ role grew even more as he handled over 350 total touches on offense. He even improved on his lofty touchdown total from the year before with 27 total. His play prompted him to enter the 2017 NFL Draft as an underclassman.

McNichols has good size for the running back position. He has a compact, muscular frame that shows he has put in a lot of work in the weight room. He runs with good vision and has good burst through the hole and also has a nose for the end zone:

McNichols’ best attributes as a runner are his vision and his feet. He is patient in waiting for holes to develop and finding cutback lanes. He stops and starts his feet quickly, which allows him to elude defenders in the open field:

For a former wide receiver, McNichols has developed well as a pass blocker. He has enough strength in both his upper and lower body to be able to absorb contact from incoming rushers and anchor. He is willing to stick his nose in and has good awareness of where the rush is coming from:

McNichols is a well-rounded running back. He does not have the breakaway speed to run away from NFL defenders and that likely limits his upside. With his receiving and pass blocking skills, he can enter the league as a third down running back right away. He may be best paired with a more explosive runner in a committee but if he develops his skills more, he can be a starting caliber runner in the pros. He will be a good value pick on the draft’s third day for the team that selects him.